Brushing machine for cleaning bowling pins



A. c. VACANT] 2,839,769

2 Shets-Sheet 1 BRUSHING MACHINE FOR CLEANING BOWLING PINS Filed Oct. 20, 1954 Fig.

IN VEN TOR.

9 By Wag/6M I Anthony C. Vacant/ WWW FMTLW June 24, 1958 1 A. c. VACANT] BRUSHING MACHINE FOR CLEANING BOWLING PINS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2

' Filed Oct. 20. 1954 Anthony 6. Vacant! INVENTOR.

BY wyawyfim United States Patent filice 2,839,769 Patented June 24, 1958 BRUSHING MACHINE FOR CLEANING BOWLING PINS Anthony C. Vacanti, Dunkirk, N. Y. Application October 20, 1954, Serial No. 463,347 4 Claims. 15-41) The present invention relates to cleaning devices particularly adapted for the cleaning of bowling pins and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a owling pin cleaning device which includes a rotatable turntable and container or receptacle, the receptacle carrying brushes for cleaning bowling pins when the same are inserted thereinto and the turntable and container rotated.

A highly important object of the invention is to provide a turntable and container combination wherein the container is detachably mounted on the turntable in a simple and effective manner which will lock the turntable to the container for movement in one direction but which permits removal of the container from the turntable by rotation of the container in the opposite direction.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of brush carrying means within the container which are releasably attached to the bottom of the container and removable from the container as a unit.

A still further object of the invention is in the provision of a novel brush carrying means wherein the brush holders are provided at different heights within the container being carried on pairs of radially spaced arms. circumferentially spacedaround the container. 4 These together with otherobjects and'advantages which will become appa nt reside in the details of construction and operation as morefully hereinafter described and elairned, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of the bowling pin c sa and he sec e in mea s ther F u -.2 s a top i w c the cl er;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view through the c ea e Figure 4 is a detail view inside elevation of one of t u h lders, a the cl r u igure 5 is a detail view in side elevation of another u h h ld r a the c eane F ur 5 s. a ass stipn V w taken Substantially a on t e P ans. of .sestl n li of Figure Figure 7 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 6 disclosing the manner in which the brush carrying means is re eased om th contain r;

Figur .8. i a cross secfional view k n u stan ially along the plane of sectionline 8,-8 of Figure 7 disclosing the retainers for the brush carrying means on the bottom of the container; and

Figure 9 is an enlarged view of the means for releasably mounting the container on the turntable.

In the drawings, there is shown a bowling pin cleaning container or receptacle 10 mounted on a turntable 12 which is in turn driven by an operating means 14 consisting of a motor 16 coupled to reduction gearing within the housing 18 which in turn drives turntable shaft 20.

The shaft 20 is keyed to the hub of the turntable in a releasable manner as will be noted by the key 22 shown particularly in Figure 3.

Preferably, as shown in the drawings, the prime mover, reduction gearing and turntable are mounted on a wheeled frame 24 whereby the device is rendered portable.

The container 10 is in the shape of a hollow, cylindrical receptacle having an open top 28 and a flat, recessed bottom 30.

The side wall of the receptacle extends, of course, below the recessed bottom 30 and forms a peripheral skirt 32 which embraces the periphery of the turntable 12 and lies along the side thereof. The top surface of the turntable 12, of course, supports the recessed bottom 30 of the container.

To releasably mount the receptacle 10 on the turntable 12, the turntable has mounted on the undersurface thereof at diametrically opposite sides lugs 34 which extend radially outwardly beyond the periphery of the turntable. Secured to the side wall of the receptacle and depending below the skirt portion thereof are elongated straps or plates 36, each having a notch 38 opening into the side edge thereof immediately below the skirt 32 of the receptacle. To secure the receptacle 26 to the turntable 12, the receptacle is simply disposed upon the turntable and rotated until the lower notched portions of the plates 36 receive the lugs 34 so that, in the embodiment shown, the receptacle is locked to the turntable for move ment in a clockwise direction.

Mounted releasably within the container are brush carrying means 40. This brush carrying means includes a supporting structure consisting of a flat, polygonal base plate 42, hexagonal in the embodiment shown, having radially extending arms projecting from the side edges thereof. There are a total of 6 arms, one projecting from each side edge of the base plate, the arms being divided into two sets. The arms of one set are designated by the numeral 44 and the arms of the second set are designated by the numeral 46.

Longitudinally spaced along each arm 44 and extending upwardly therefrom are inner and outer flexible brush carrying standards or posts 48 and 50 respectfully.

The inner standards 48 are relatively short and terminate immediately above the base plate 42. To the upper end of each standard 48 is secured a brush element 52 resiliently holding brush 54 in position within the container 10.

The outer standards 50 are relatively long and reach approximately to the top of the container. Angulate-d channel members 56 secured to the upper ends of the outer arms 50 of the set of arms 44 retain angulated brushes 58 on the flexible or resilient standards 50.

Each of arms 46 has an upwardly extending resilient or flexible post or standard 60 extending upwardly therefrom, the upper end of the standard terminating approximately intermediate the top and bottom of the container 10. The channel-shaped brush holder 62 secured to the upper end of each of the arms 60 retains a brush 64 thereon. V

The brushes 54, 58 and 64 are constructed to follow generally the outline of a bowling pin as will be clearly noted in Figure 3. The standards 48 and the standards 50 of the first set of arms 44 engaging the step and bottom portions of a bowling pin when such pin is inverted and placed in the container 10 for cleaning.

The brushes 64 of the standards 60 on the second set of arms 46 engage the intermediate portion of the bowling pin when the same is disposed within the container for cleaning.

To enable cleaning of the tip of the bowling pin in the container 10, the base plate 42 has an upwardly opening channel-shaped bruh holder 65 thereon which retains brush 67 to engage the tip of the bowling pin.

upper ends of the standards 50 converge toward one another in overlying relation to the base plate 42, this converging relationship being enhanced by the particular construction of the brush holders 56 and the brushes 58 carried thereby. This is to insure adequate cleaning action on a bottom portion of the bowling pin when the same is inserted into the container 10. By virtue of the resilience of the standards 50, it is a simple matter to force the pins through the small space atlorded between the brushes 5'8.

As will be noted from an examination of Figures 6 and 7, the arms 4.4 and 46 are provided with unencumbered free end portions so that the supporting structure 40 may be lockedinto position in the bottom of the container.

In order to lock the supporting structure in place, clips 66 are mounted in the inner surface of the bottom 30 adjacent the periphery thereof at circumferentially spaced points therearound, each of the clips 66 having one leg 68 thereof spaced about and parallel to the bottom 30.

To lock the supporting structure 40 within the container 10, the supporting structure is placed first in the receptacle in the position shown in Figure 7 and is then rotated in a counterclockwise direction until the free ends of the arms 44 and 46 are engaged under the legs 68 of the clip 66 in which position they are locked for rotation with the container in a clockwise direction.

In the use of the cleaner, the container 10 is first mounted on the turntable 12 and locked for movement in one direction therewith by virtue of the lugs 34 on the turntable and the elements 36 on the container 26.

The brush carrying means or supporting structure 40 is then inserted in the container and the supporting structure rotated into locking position underneath the legs 68 of the clip 66.

The container 10 is then filled with a proper cleaning fluid and the bowling pin inserted into the container to be held therewithin by the brushes 54, 58 and 64 bearing against the wall thereof. A rod or the like may be inserted in the opening normally in the bottom of the bowling pin to retain the same against rotation during rotation of the container 10 and consequently the brushes 54, 58 and 64.

In order to prevent splashing of the cleaning fluid, flexible rubber cover 72 having a central opening for holding the pin steady during rotation of the container 10 partially covers the open upper end 28 of the container 10.

In the utilization of this cleaner a highly eflicient bowling pin cleaner action is obtained which eifectively removes any lacquer, wax, varnish or the like which may be desirable to remove from the pin.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. in a device for cleaning bowling pins, aturntable, means for rotating said turntable, a container for receiving a bowling pin for cleaning, means releasably mount.

ing said container on said turntable for rotation there'- with, said container having a recessed bottom resting on the top surface of said turntable and a skirt below saidbottom surrounding and depending below the top surface of said turntable, said releasably mounting means includ-- ing lugs extending radially outwardly from the periphery of said turntable and also including means on said skirt for locking said skirt with said lugs, a base plate secured in said container, a plurality of flexible posts of unequal length attached to and rising upwardly from said base" plate, and brushes carried by said posts and arranged in a pattern resembling the shape of a bowling pin.

2. .A device for cleaning bowling pins and the like which comprises an upstanding container having an open top and a bottom, brushes, means carrying said brushes disposed on said bottom within said container, means releasably attaching said brush carrying means to said bottom and locking them against movement in one direction, means for rotating said container, said brush carrying means including a supporting structure, standards extending upwardly from saidsupporting structure and having brush holders thereon, said attaching and locking means including retaining elements on said container bottom and a plurality of radially extending connected arms on said supporting structure, said arms being r0- tatable into and out of engagement with said retaining means. V 3. A device for cleaning bowling pins and the like which comprises a container having an open top and a bottom, brushes, means carrying said brushes disposed within said container, means releasably attaching saidbrush carrying means within said container and locking them against movement in one direction, means to both support and rotate said container, said brush carrying means including a supporting base having arms extending radially therefrom and coplanar therewith, flexible standards extending upwardly from said arms and having brush holders therein, said attaching and locking means including retaining elements on said container bottom, said arms being rotatable into and out of engagement with said retaining elements, said arms being divided into two sets.

4. The combination of .claim 3 wherein one set of arms carries a pair of standards of ,difierent lengths and the other. set of arms carries a single standard of a length intermediate the lengths of the pairs of standards.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Ian. 15, 1953 

